


Propositions of a Drunken Variety

by Zerrat



Category: Final Fantasy XIII
Genre: Community: fangrai-forever, Drinking, Drunken Confessions, F/F, FangRai February
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-12
Updated: 2013-02-12
Packaged: 2017-11-29 01:14:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,667
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/681021
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zerrat/pseuds/Zerrat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Fang knew she was no damn slouch at drinking, but it didn't change the fact that Cocoon-brand liquor hit her like a haymaker to the face.</p><p>During a night out at Oerba's restored pub with the l'Cie and Team NORA, Fang's pride leads her to bite off a bit more than she can chew.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Propositions of a Drunken Variety

**Author's Note:**

> Fill for Prompt 18 over at FangRai February.
> 
> _"Contrary to popular belief, Fang can’t actually hold her liquor. This leads to drunken confessions of love that Lightning doesn’t quite know if she’s meant to take seriously."_
> 
> I had way too much fun with this one.

Fang looked down at the trio of shot glasses that Snow had dumped in front of her, feeling her heart sink just a little. She wet her lips, trying not to twitch as he and Lebreau continued to pass out the shot trios. Not for the first time, Fang wondered if it would have been better to have just come clean over the whole sorry thing. 

She hadn't exactly thought that it would have spiralled out of control the way it had, though. 

_Hindsight is always twenty-twenty,_ Fang told herself with a silent sigh, giving Lightning an easy-going, confidant smile that felt entirely at odds with how she was feeling. Across the table, Lightning just cut her a challenging look, already toying with one of her shot glasses as the takers – Fang, Lightning, Snow and Lebreau – readied themselves for the potent Sanctum Trio shots. 

Generally speaking, Fang considered most goods from Gran Pulse to be far superior to the shoddy gear that had been synthesized by Cocoon's fal'Cie. Clothing, food, even weapons – it was a rule of thumb that Fang would readily bet an entire year's pay on. Sure, there were a few exceptions to the rule – Fang shot another quick, sidelong glance at Lightning – but that was just it. They were meant to be _exceptions._

When Fang had awoken with Vanille, close to a month ago, they'd found that the world had spun on without them for a couple of years. Most of the chaos following Cocoon's fall had been taken care of, towns were cropping up all over Gran Pulse, and people had even returned to Cocoon. There had been one hell of a party to mark Fang and Vanille's return, and it had been at that party that Fang had learned that there was one area in which Cocoon definitely knocked Gran Pulse out of the park over. 

Fang had discovered, to her growing dismay, that Cocoon folk made their alcohol a hell of a lot stronger than anything she'd experienced before. Etro, Fang had been able to drink men twice her body weight under the table back during the War of Transgression! She was no goddamn lightweight, but there she was, struggling to see straight after she'd take a few mouthfuls of a _light beer._ She would have given herself an aneurism laughing if it had happened to anyone else, but this? It was just embarrassing.

She was no damn slouch at drinking, she _knew_ that – it didn't change the fact that Cocoon liquor hit her like a haymaker to the face. 

It was actually a point of pride that she'd managed to have kept it under wraps for so long, given all the times she'd been dragged out for drinks with Snow and Team NORA. Most of the time, she'd been able to keep a lid on the way her head swam. Any stumbles or trips had been put down to being exhausted from crystal stasis, or pretending that she'd drunk a lot more than she actually had. This time, though, things were different. Snow had dragged Serah, Vanille and Lightning along for the ride, and unfortunately things had gone downhill very quickly. 

It wasn't really Fang's fault, not when Lightning had looked at her with those challenging blue eyes and pressed a drink in her hands. 

"Enjoy yourself for a bit," Lightning had said as she'd leaned on the wall next to where Fang had been standing. She'd been smiling slightly, and the expression made Fang's stomach turn in some _really_ complicated ways. "You and Vanille have more than earned yourselves some fun."

Not that Fang was arguing, but it was hard to maintain her composure when Lightning was looking at her _like that_ and she'd taken a couple of daring mouthfuls of her beer. Fang had sworn to herself that she'd handle it, and that she wouldn't let herself be bested by Lightning at anything. 

Ha. Famous last words, especially when Fang had then allowed herself to be roped into a serious drinking game – Sanctum Trio or whatever – and Lightning hadn't even so much as looked at her, let alone taunted her into participating. Etro, the things she did to keep Lightning's respect, keep them _equals._

Even if looking at those three shot glasses lined up in front of her, all filled with some horribly potent liquid, was a little daunting. 

Everyone else – Lightning, Snow and Lebreau - were raising their shot glass to their lips, apparently having readied themselves while Fang had been stewing over her inability to let her pride take a blow. Fang sighed quietly as she raised the first small glass to her lips, watching the rest of them toss the shots back in quick succession and laugh. Etro. Even _Lightning_ was having a good time. 

_Are you a Yun or a mouse?_ Fang demanded of herself, and without further thought, she threw the liquid down her throat. It burned a hot trail on the way down to her stomach, and Fang let out a soft whoop as she slammed the tiny glass back to the wooden counter at the bar. She was going to regret this, she knew that already. Seeing Lightning's blue eyes and the way she'd swallowed that shot with a smirk in Fang's direction...

There really was no other time like the present, was there?

###

Lightning drained the last shot from the Sanctum Trio she'd been roped by Lebreau into trying, shaking her head as the bitter-sweet-sour taste of the three types of alcohol warred on her tongue. She was already filled with a hot, pleasant sort of buzz that made the knot that had been forming between her shoulder blades loosen. 

Things had been tough on Gran Pulse and Cocoon since the whole business with Orphan and Ragnarok - life down on Pulse was certainly not as easy as having their every need met by fal'Cie. Lightning hadn't been kidding around with Fang when she'd told the woman to enjoy herself. 

Even with no end to the difficulties facing the people of Cocoon, having both Fang and Vanille back made everything seem brighter and more optimistic. Over the past few months, she'd allowed Serah, Snow and Team NORA drag her out for more nights on the town than she'd had been on for the entire two years prior to that. 

As she looked across the table, at Fang and the rest of the l'Cie, Lightning let herself smile. It was about time that they all enjoyed their second - or third - chance at happiness. If Lightning's _enjoyment_ included allowing herself a few appreciative looks in Fang's direction, then who was to stop her?

After having downed the Sanctum Trio in the quick succession the game demanded, Fang looked... Lightning felt her eyebrows furrow in a growing frown. The woman's cheeks had gone a deep, rosy colour, and those pale green eyes that were usually so confidant and deliberate were now incredibly bright. Lightning's eyes narrowed thoughtfully, the buzz through her veins fading to background static.

As Fang turned to laugh at something Lebreau said, leaning into the other woman's personal space far closely much for Lightning's liking, there was the strangest lack of grace and control to her movements. It was that, more than anything else, that was just so very unlike Fang that it brought Lightning up short. 

_Shit._ Lightning's buzz was _definitely_ gone now, leached away into cold realisation as all of the pieces fitted together in her mind and she looked back on the last two months with new eyes. 

Lightning glanced over to where Serah was standing with Vanille and Maqui. Vanille was a feather-weight when it came to alcohol – give her a watered-down wine and the girl would still giggle and stumble all over the place. That had been something that Lightning had quickly accepted about Vanille's character, but she'd assumed that it had been a _Vanille_ thing. Not a _Pulsian_ thing, especially not with the way Fang had swanned around in the beginning, claiming she could out-drink _Snow._

The sad truth of the matter was that Fang was absolutely drunk. 

That could not end well. 

All of Lightning's contentment had dissolved in the face of overwhelming concern for her friend, and she pushed herself to her feet. She tried to ignore the way the Sanctum Trio had sapped at her own ability to coordinate properly, and she moved around the table to lay her hand on Fang's bare, tattooed shoulder. 

"Fang?" Lightning asked. She felt far too distracted by how _bright_ those green eyes were and how adorably lopsided that drunken smile was as Fang leaned back to look up at her. Lightning's cleared her throat, attempting to get it to work again. "Are you sure you're doing okay?"

"Jus' fine," Fang told her a little too loudly, that smile widening as she looked Lightning up and down with an expression that could best be described as a leer. "Never... never better."

Lightning wondered if it was best to simply leave Fang to her own devices – Fang was a grown woman, and she could handle her own mess. Fang was still likely to do something that she'd seriously regret tomorrow, though. Lightning considered Fang a good enough friend to watch her back _now,_ in just the same way they'd done back during the Purge. Nodding to herself, she squeezed Fang's shoulder lightly. 

"I think you need to sober up a bit." Lightning kept her voice low, but it was difficult with how noisy the bar had grown. The way Fang suddenly frowned told Lightning enough. 

"'m fine, Light. You jus' sit your pretty arse down over on the other side of the table, so I can get a better eye-full." Fang eagerly accepted another shot from the round that Snow had just brought over to the table, slamming it down immediately before Lightning could take it from her. 

Lightning shot Snow a severe look, and he threw up his hands, apparently unsure of what her issue was. It was too late now, but Lightning made sure he saw her sharp gesture to tell him to cut Fang off during the next round. 

"Fang-" Lightning cut off with a muttered curse as the woman began to laugh. 

That laughter ended abruptly as Fang's dark complexion went a few shades lighter. Her smile fell crookedly off her mouth as she hunched forward, resting her forehead on her arms.

"Actually," Fang said, her voice very unsteady, as she looked up at Lightning through the hair that had fallen across her face. "Scratch that. 've felt _better."_

Lightning stifled her own frustration, scanning the busy bar for a moment before resting a hand on her hip. There was really nothing for it – Fang was not going to sober up here, and with every passing second, Lightning was starting to wonder if Fang was going to throw the lot of it up. Lightning leaned down to Fang's level, taking the woman's shoulder again and giving it a gentle shake. The bare skin was hot under her fingertips, but it was definitely _not_ the time to be appreciating Fang's iron muscles, impressive as they were. 

"Let's get you back home." Lightning offered her hand to Fang. The woman looked as if she was actually considering arguing on principle for a moment, before she grasped Lightning's outstretched hand and lurched unsteadily to her feet. Lightning took a hold of Fang before she could lose her balance too badly, and she cursed under her breath. 

"You smell good," Fang drawled, bracing herself against Lightning's shoulders and leaning in far too close. 

With a strength of will that surprised her, Lightning didn't react, even when Fang tilted her chin _just so_ and all Lightning could see were those soft, slightly parted lips. Lightning pulled back, raising a very deliberate eyebrow as Fang swayed on her feet for a moment. 

"Come on," Lightning told her, reaching out and grabbing Fang's wrist. She allowed Fang to lean heavily into her shoulder as they exited the Oerban bar and walked into the cool night, supporting the woman on auto-pilot whenever she stumbled or lost her balance. Fortunately, it was a short walk from the bar to where Fang and Vanille's house lay on the outskirts of the restored village. 

What had possessed Fang to drink so much when she knew it affected her so badly? Lightning sighed quietly, as Fang's house came into view when they rounded the street corner. That stubborn pride was going to drive Lightning mad one day.

"You know," Fang drawled, beginning to drag her feet as they approached the house. Lightning patiently slowed her stride to match Fang's, adjusting her steadying hold on the arm Fang had thrown around her shoulders. "You are _much_ sweeter than you let on, y'realise that?"

"I had no idea," Lightning replied dryly, and was rewarded with breathy laughter against her neck as Fang stumbled and lurched in closer. They'd all but stopped, now only a few paces from the darkened house. 

"You've a smart mouth on you, Farron. I like that." Fang's grin was still crooked and genuine, even if it wavered. "Fact of the matter is, _you_ would make anyone a happy camper, s'all I'm sayin'."

"Thanks. I suppose."

Fang leaned in close, her fingers twisting in Lightning's jacket collar.

"You would make _me_ happy," Fang clarified then, as if it hadn't been entirely obvious what she'd meant. Lightning watched her bite her lower lip, and she felt her cool waver just a little as heat flashed through her. "Come inside?"

Oh Eden, Lightning did want to go in with her, but... Not like this, with Fang barely able to keep her balance without Lightning's assistance. As attractive as Lightning found Fang, she cared too much about their friendship and respected Fang too much to let it proceed like that. 

"I'm not after a drunken fling, Fang." Lightning was actually a little surprised at how steady and certain her own response sounded. 

"Actually, I think I would like to date you." Fang laughed, resting her head against Lightning's shoulder for a moment before pressing her lips, hot against Lightning's ear. 

"How-" Lightning cut off, and she swallowed hard when Fang began to laugh against the side of her neck. That was far, far too distracting, and it took Lightning a few tries to get her dry throat to work again. She carefully disentangled herself from Fang's grasp, an easy feat when Fang was as liquored up as she was. "How about you ask me when you're sober?" 

"How about you just come 'ere?" Fang's smile was enough to send shivers down Lightning's back. Exhaling sharply in a mix of frustration and amusement, Lightning shook her head, turning on her heel and beginning to walk away from Fang. She was hardly in the mood to return to the bar with Serah and Team NORA, especially when she could not get Fang's proposition out of her head... 

Lightning looked back, just to be sure Fang was really going inside, and she smiled as she spotted the woman fumbling to open the front door. 

"Good night, Fang," she called out, and was rewarded with a loud snort and a half-assed wave as Fang vanished inside.

###

Fang woke up late the next morning with a pounding headache, and her mouth tasting like something had died in there while she'd slept. The sounds of Vanille humming and moving around in their kitchen, muffled through thin plaster walls, were like nails on a chalkboard to her sensitive ears.

 _Etro, why is everything so cheerful?_ Fang slung an arm across her eyes, groaning under her breath and trying to burrow back into her warm blankets. Last night's activities seemed very fuzzy when she tried to think back on them. She remembered having a beer, and then managing to convince herself that she could handle the Sanctum Trio shots game or whatever it was meant to be.

After that, she remembered only flashes, blurry movement and laughter, and Fang had the very real suspicion that she'd ended up propositioning Lightning in a very unsubtle and drunken sort of way.

With another low groan, Fang swung her legs over the side of the bed and staggered out to the kitchen. Vanille, of course, was looking as bright and chipper as usual, with no sign of the epic hangover that Fang was sporting. Fang grunted as she seated herself on one of the bar stools at the kitchen bench, resting her head on her folded arms. Vanille had more sense than Fang had last night, then, which was no surprise. 

"You look like you need something to pick you up," Vanille said, leaning on the bench next to Fang and chewing on her cereal entirely too loudly. Fang glared up at her, before huffing and blowing the stray locks of hair out of her face. 

"That's very sweet of you for offering." Fang bit the words off, still scowling as Vanille had the audacity to giggle. "The usual will do. And not a word of lecturing. I'm suffering enough, here."

Vanille smiled at her all too sweetly, moving over to the electric kettle and flicking the switch. Fang watched her warily, wondering what it was that she'd done to endear herself to Vanille so early in the morning. It wasn't until Fang was half way through her mug of coffee when Vanille cleared her throat. 

"You had a missed call from someone," Vanille told her, pretending to look completely innocent – as if she hadn't snooped at the caller ID already. Fang scoffed at her, before moving over to the jacket she'd dumped on one of the couches when she'd gotten home last night and hunting through its pockets. Fang felt her heart sink a little as she flicked the flip-case phone open and found out exactly who called early this morning. 

_Lightning,_ Fang thought, rubbing her aching head. _Perfect._

Now Fang _really_ wanted to know what it was that she'd done last night, and how much damage control she'd need to do before her friendship with Lightning was back to normal. Fang silently debated waiting until her hangover had lessened, but as she stared at Lightning's missed call alert, Fang knew she had to bite the bullet soon. Heaving a weary and put-upon sigh, she dialled out. 

"What exactly happened last night?" Fang demanded, as soon as she heard Lightning's voice on the other end of the line. 

_"You don't remember? I'm not surprised. You seemed pretty out of it after the Sanctum Trio."_ Lightning's voice betrayed nothing, but Fang didn't have to ask to know that her embarrassing secret about drinking was out of the bag. She rubbed the bridge of her nose, trying to think. She supposed that it hardly mattered, because there were really more important things to worry about now. 

"Did I say anything real stupid?" Fang toyed with the edge of her ceramic mug with the tip of her finger, somewhat dreading the answer but needing it regardless.

_"Aside from your usual?"_

Fang's jaw tightened, making her hangover throb in response, and didn't say anything. Lightning was silent for a few moments, as if thoughtful. 

_"It was nothing that I didn't like hearing, anyway."_

"Enough with the cryptic, Lightning." Fang could hear a whine beginning to form in her voice, but at that point, with such a killer hangover, she could not find it in herself to care. "So help me Etro, I will hang up on you."

_"You called me, and I seem to remember that you quite liked my smart mouth last night."_

Fang felt her cheeks flush, a potent mixture of embarrassment and indignation warring inside of her. Well, it was good to get confirmation that her actions last night were as bad as Fang feared. Oh Etro, had she tried to...? She shook her head, ignoring the way it made her entire body cringe in pain. Fortunately, Lightning had sounded amused, not upset. That had to be a good sign. 

_"Fang... did you want to go out some time?"_

Fang froze – was she hearing and understanding that the right way? It was too damn early for this sort of conversation. "You mean, just the two of us?"

_"Right. As in, a date."_

Fang felt herself flush, hotter this time. Yes, Fang had certainly propositioned Lightning last night, and she doubted very much that it had been a 'date' she'd been suggesting. Vanille, standing over the other side of the kitchen bench, gave Fang an all too innocent look. Fang knew better – Vanille was eavesdropping with every fibre of her being. 

_"Fang?"_

Fang blinked, Lightning's question dragging her back to the important matter at hand. She supposed that she'd thought that the answer was obvious. 

"Yes, I... you serious? Of course I would." Fang felt a tiny smile tug at the corners of her mouth, as Lightning scoffed quietly on the other end of the line. 

_"Just making sure it wasn't those shots talking last night. Try to rest up, Fang. I'll call again later on today."_

Fang groaned internally as she ended the call. She slumped down against the bench again, her chin on her crossed forearms as she stared at the mug of coffee in front of her. Then, slowly and wearily, Fang felt herself smile. 

"So I take it she didn't call to yell at you?" Vanille asked, her voice teasing, and reaching over to pat Fang's forearm affectionately. "I'm shocked."

"I can't exactly take credit for this one." Etro, from what blurry pieces she could remember of her walk home with Lightning, it was fortunate that the woman hadn't decked her for being so forward, and then that Lightning was actually _interested_ enough to try when Fang was sober. 

Fang might have lost her dignity and pride last night, what with her issues with Cocoon alcohol being revealed to all, but she considered it a fair trade when she'd scored herself a date with Lightning Farron.

**Author's Note:**

> If you'd like updates as to current projects or just want to chat, feel free to come visit me on my tumblr: [zerrat](http://zerrat.tumblr.com/) (personal) and [zerratwritesstuff](http://zerratwritesstuff.tumblr.com) (writing)!


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